Red Mansion Jia Enhou

Shi Nai turned his eyes to the prefect of Jinling.

The kidnapper has never left Jinling. After being kidnapped from Gusu, he has never left the Huai River Basin, not to mention that he has been living right under your nose.

And this child, ordinary children may be difficult to recognize, but this child...how do you explain this?

The prefect of Jinling did not give any explanation, but just fixed his eyes on the kneeling Aunt Zhou.

This person looked familiar to him, as if he had seen him before.

Of course I have seen it before.

Aunt Zhou’s husband’s surname is Jiang, and his youngest son was kidnapped five years ago.

Before being kidnapped, he was well-known for being a well-behaved kid in their alley.

Aunt Zhou always regretted that day why she left him alone at the door to play.

Shi Nai came to investigate the Jinling prefect as an inspector. As a parent who had lost her child, Aunt Zhou was unwilling to let go of this opportunity.

Aunt Zhou knelt in front of Shi Nai, wiping her tears with a handkerchief, and sobbing about the suffering she had experienced over the years, including losing her child and having nowhere to turn to.

Another victim.

Shi Nai looked at the prefect of Jinling again.

The kidnapper is in Jinling. Even if you think it is a waste of manpower, you can't just say you won't look for him at all.

Zhen Shiyin knelt down again.

"Sir, I have a witness who can prove the existence of that monk and Taoist priest!"

Zhen Shiyin clasped his hands together.

Shi Nai nodded slightly.

The servant who took Xiangling out for a walk was brought in.

Zhen Shiyin's family has always been kind and generous to their servants. Although the servant got the money, he still felt bad after so many years.

Zhen Shiyin had already promised not to pursue the matter against his family, so the servant told him everything he knew about the monk.

Appearance and body features.

And also told the story of the monk and the Taoist priest who once lived in Hulu Temple for a while.

It was obvious that the servant knew more about them.

Shi Nai's focus was on Hulu Temple.

Zhen Yinglian’s abduction and the fire in the Zhen family’s home are both related to Hulu Temple.

Besides, there are so many novice monks in the temple, can they be enlightened just by saying so?
The case is complicated and confusing, and the truth can only be revealed if the monk and the Taoist priest are caught.

Shi Nai, who knew this key point, had already made arrangements.

Jia Lian and Jia Zhen brought their people and found Li Buping who was telling stories in the teahouse.

Li Buping had just finished his speech and went backstage when Jia Lian and Jia Zhen walked in with a few people.

The servant guarding the door already knew Jia Lian and Jia Zhen.

Knowing that the two men were generous, the servant didn't even bother to stop them.

Jia Lian and Jia Zhen entered in such a low-key manner.

Li Buping, who was drinking tea in the backstage and pinching his throat, saw Jia Lian and Jia Zhen. Li Buping quickly put his feet down on the table, stood up from the chair, and his face was full of flattery.

"Master Lian, why is Master Zhen here?"

"But are you ready to listen to the next part of the book?"

Li Buping gave four lectures a day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

The two storytellers would go on stage alternately, so that there would not be too many empty spots in the teahouse throughout the day.

He is the only one backstage now, which means the other storyteller has not arrived yet.

Jia Lian shook his head at Li Buping.

"I came to see you alone."

Li Buping glanced at the people behind Jia Lian and Jia Zhen, and subconsciously felt a bad emotion in his heart.

"Inspector's order!"

Jia Lian uttered three words.

Li Buping froze, his eyes suddenly lost their composure, the hem of his shirt swayed slightly, and it could be seen that he was shaking.

"Second Master, I don't know anything."

"I really don't know anything!"

Jia Lian glanced at Li Buping and a smile appeared on his lips.

"I know you don't know anything, but I just have something to ask you."

The panic in Li Buping's eyes grew more intense.

"You said those people, you can't say anything?"

"But if I protect you, can you tell me?"

Jia Lian sat down in the place where Li Buping had just sat.

A dark light flashed across Li Buping's eyes.

"How can you guarantee that?"

Li Buping knew that he had to say it today, so he still wanted to protect his life.

Jia Lian smiled at Li Buping.

"How about catching all of them in one fell swoop?"

Li Buping shook his head silently at Jia Lian.

Jia Lian looked at Li Buping in shock. Is it impossible to catch them all in one fell swoop?

Who are those people?

"Second Master, don't come to me to ask. These people can never be killed."

"If you want to wipe it out, you have to uproot it!"

Li Buping is just as his name suggests, he says things like "I can't say them", but he says everything he needs to say.

Jia Lian frowned.

"Is there any power behind these people?"

Li Buping couldn't help laughing. Without power, how could he have concealed his development for so many years without being discovered by the imperial court?

Without power, how could a gentleman who had classmates and was a successful candidate in the imperial examination be forced to sell his land and finally return empty-handed and move to another place?

Jia Lian's brows furrowed more and more, and he suddenly felt that his question just now was a bit stupid, so he changed the subject directly.

"Do you know who the young master is?"

Li Buping nodded towards Jia Lian.

"You know who I am, why don't you believe me?"

Li Buping was stunned.

So
In front of a group of people, individual abilities are insignificant.

"My father, Rong Hou, is the most popular person in front of the emperor and holds military power. My grandfather, Zhang Xiang, is the current prime minister and was the emperor's former teacher."

"My good brother Pei Sheng's grandfather, Pei Mian, is the next Prime Minister."

"My uncle Lin Ruhai, my uncle Shen Conglin, the new emperor's party, and the current prince's teacher. My uncle."

"I am the prince's study partner. The prince is my little brother!"

Putting the most important thing at the end, Jia Lian patted his chest and began to introduce it.

Li Buping took a breath and said, "Why don't you just say that the imperial court is run by your family?"

Jia Lian is a man of genuine pedigree.

Except for the harem, there are no people from his family, so just take them all.

Fortunately, these people are all civil servants. If they were all military generals, it would be really amazing.

"Second Master is worthy of being Second Master!"

Jia Lian couldn't help but snort coldly.

You're actually worrying about this in front of him?

Don’t you know that he has connections in both the black and white worlds?
"Can you speak now?"

"Yes, yes!"

What else can't be said about this lineup?
"That group of people emerged twelve years ago. At first, they were a few women who traveled around the countryside of Jinling, spreading the White Lotus Sect that was wiped out by the Emperor twenty years earlier."

"This is just a small-scale operation. Once their power expands, these people will find some disabled people from somewhere and have them pretend to be monks and Taoist priests to commit fraud!"

This is the monk and the Taoist.

Jia Lian listened attentively, so it seemed that there should be quite a few people.

Li Buping continued.

"Later, as Second Master saw, the fixed combination of people shouted some mysterious things, which made people confused. They also found a group of kidnappers."

"Didn't the government send anyone to investigate?"

Li Buping is a storyteller, and when he tells these things his story his speech is clear and cadenced.

Jia Lian seized the loophole.

Li Buping smiled at Jia Lian.

"How could they not investigate? Not only did they investigate, they also sent people to clean it up."

"I don't know whether it's because they haven't cleared it out completely or what."

"Those people are still here. The previous Jinling prefect was promoted to the capital city. The current one has taken over. Children are being lost frequently in the Huai River area."

Li Buping looked at Jia Lian secretly.

"Didn't Second Master Lian discover that there are many different things in Shenjing City?"

Jia Lian frowned. He was only a few years old and didn't need to pay attention to these things.

Li Buping looked at Jia Zhen.

"Uncle Zhen should be touched by this."

Jia Zhen did not reply, but this was considered as a tacit agreement.

In the capital, many officials from the Lianghuai area have a few women from the Jiangnan region in their homes.

These people entered these people's homes as purchasing actors, and the trend of purchasing actors from Lianghuai also became popular among the nobles in the capital.

Jia Lian's expression changed to seriousness.

If this is true, this is a case of collusion between officials and gangsters, or even between officials and businessmen.

The White Lotus Sect kidnapped people, and the salt merchants transported people abroad.

The remaining officials settled the matter.

A triangle is the strongest and most stable relationship.

It is estimated that the salt merchants in the Huai River area were brought down, which indirectly caused their links to break down and led to their exposure.

Jia Lian thought of the monk and Taoist priest who came to Rongguo Mansion.

"Do you know their lair?"

Jia Lian asked Li Buping.

"Second Master, do you dare to follow me?"

Information circulates among the nine classes, although Li Buping doesn't know how to get to that place.

But he knew someone who knew.

Jia Lian nodded towards Li Buping.

"Just lead the way, don't worry about the rest!"

Jia Lian's words were a disguised reassurance to Li Buping.

"I suggest that you should bring a few hundred people with you."

'Bring hundreds of people'

Jia Lian was shocked again. This was definitely a big case.

He actually wanted to bring hundreds of people to encircle and suppress them.

"Take me there first!"

"Once I know the location, I will lead people to encircle and suppress them!"

"Second Master, please follow me!"

Li Buping moved aside to make way for Jia Lian.

Li Buping greeted the owner of the teahouse.

The shopkeeper raised his drooping eyelids and nodded towards Li Buping.

Li Buping left the teahouse.

The shopkeeper sent his servant to call over the storyteller who was to work in the afternoon to take over Li Buping's shift.

Li Buping and Jia Lian and his group split into two groups.

All the way to the pier.

Li Buping led Jia Lian and his party along many twists and turns on the dock until they arrived at an underground place.

There was a hole in the ground, and there were many laborers in the hole.

"Excuse me!"

"Excuse me!" Li Buping kept shouting for mercy.

This was originally a water dungeon, but it became abandoned after several court restorations.

Now it is a resting place for workers in the dock.

It is also a gathering place for gangs.

If we were to ask which gang has the most dealings with salt merchants, it would undoubtedly be the Cao Gang, which relies on water for its livelihood.

Now the Cao Gang is still in its early stages of development, with few members, low status and no rights.

Storytellers like Li Buping can also make friends with their gang leaders.

"Brother Weng!"

Once inside, Li Buping started shouting.

More and more people around him began to know Li Buping.

"Mr. Li!"

People who saw Li Buping also began to salute him.

Li Buping nodded slightly in response.

"Where's Brother Weng?"

Li Buping, who had been calling for a long time but no one showed up, pulled a laborer over to ask him.

The worker subconsciously bowed to Li Buping.

Li Buping nodded slightly.

"Where's your gang leader?"

Li Buping went on to ask, the laborer who was being pulled looked very young, about fourteen or fifteen years old, and must have lost his parents or was having financial difficulties, so he came to the dock to make a living.

"Reply to Mr. Li."

"There is a large cargo on the shore, and Brother Weng is leading people to unload it."

"Sir, are you looking for him?"

Li Buping nodded slightly.

"follow me!"

The laborer threw the sweat towel in his hand over his body and walked out first.

Sure enough, Weng Yan was right on the pier.

He is arranging for people to unload the goods.

The heavy sacks fell on the laborers who were trying to make a living for their families. Even if they were accidentally injured, they still gritted their teeth and persevered.

This made Jia Lian feel uncomfortable.

But it’s no use if you don’t like it. As long as you are alive, you have to make a living.

He's just luckier.

"Brother Weng!"

Li Buping's voice sounded again.

Weng Yan turned around and saw Li Buping, who was wearing a long robe and waving a folding fan in his hand.

There was a flash of surprise in Weng Yan's eyes.

"Buping, why are you here?"

Weng Yan stepped forward enthusiastically.

When they got closer, they saw Jia Lian and other people in gorgeous clothes behind Li Buping.

Weng Yan stepped back subconsciously.

Li Buping glanced at Jia Lian and others behind him, and knowing Weng Yan's concerns, he greeted Jia Lian and others.

Finally, he walked up to Weng Yan alone.

"Brother Weng!"

Weng Yan didn't say anything.

Knowing where the problem lay, Li Buping quickly lowered his posture, surrounded Weng Yan, bowed and saluted, and looked very humble.

"Brother Weng, I'm here to talk to you about something important today."

"For the sake of the matter, please pay attention to your brother!"

Li Buping pulled Weng Yan and spoke.

Weng Yan snorted coldly and looked at Li Buping.

"How come I don't know that you have connections with these wealthy families?"

When Weng Yan spoke, his words were very unpleasant.

Li Buping's expression remained unchanged and he still had a smile on his face.

"It's not that I have anything to do with them, it's just a matter."

Weng Yan frowned.

"I brought them here today to ask you something."

There were many people at the dock and they were all gossiping. Li Buping no longer dared to speak loudly and just whispered in Weng Yan's ear.

“Brother Weng, didn’t you say that you received an abnormal batch of goods before?”

Li Buping's words had made it clear.

Weng Yan's expression changed.

Knowing that Li Buping wanted to ask him something, Weng Yan quickly took Li Buping to a quiet place.

"Why do you suddenly ask this?"

Weng Yan looked at Li Buping and became alert.

If he felt good about that batch of goods, they should be a group of children.

Even if those children had their hands and feet tied and their mouths blocked, he could still feel it.

He also wanted to report to the police, but as soon as he put his things down, someone put a knife and a sword to his neck.

He has a family to take care of, and he really doesn't dare to cause trouble.

Li Buping smiled at Weng Yan.

"Can the eldest brother be trusted more than the younger brother?"

Weng Yan's face was like a color palette, and his eyes shifted back and forth.

When it comes to matters concerning one’s life and property, is it something that can be trusted or not?
He had been around the docks for so long that he knew a little about the identities of those people.

Even though he was pitiful, he would not risk his life and property.

"See who I brought with me?"

"They are people from the Rongning Mansion in Shenjing. The Rongning Mansion is the Yue family of Lord Lin who rectified the salt administration."

"Many of the current salt control strategies were also developed by that kid's father!"

Weng Yan's complexion improved for a moment.

The formation of their Cao Gang has a lot to do with these exploitative salt merchants.

"so what?"

Weng Yan began to ask questions proactively.

"Do you know about the Baoling Marquis who came back from the Shi family to observe mourning?"

Nonsense, of course he knew that.

"After Baoling Hou returned, His Majesty assigned him other tasks besides observing mourning."

"It's to investigate the White Lotus Sect and the Jinling prefect!"

They are family, so there is no need to hide anything when they talk.

Weng Yan's eyes began to struggle.

"Are you sure you want to investigate the Jinling prefect and the White Lotus Sect?"

Li Buping nodded heavily towards Weng Yan.

"Not sure, brother, I can't come."

"In addition, His Majesty seems to have plans to completely clean up the Huai River area."

Li Buping expressed his speculation, saying that the storyteller might not be good at other things, but his vision was very accurate.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to come up with so many popular cases with implications.

"Mr. Lian followed me here because he wanted to catch all the members of the White Lotus Sect in one fell swoop, and then find out who these people were through their mouths and catch them all in one fell swoop."

“Are you sure they’re not?”

Without waiting for Weng Yan to speak, Li Buping shook his head.

"No, I can guarantee it!"

Weng Yan, who was a close friend of Li Buping, stared at Li Buping for a long time and finally gave in.

"little six!"

Li Buping found a group of laborers and called a man over with a loud voice.

The man was not as strong as the other laborers, and it was more difficult for him to lift things than others.

Hearing Weng Yan's shout, the man put down the sack on his back and ran towards Weng Yan.

"Big brother!"

Weng Yan nodded slightly.

"come here!"

The man walked in and Weng Yan whispered in his ear.

Shock flashed in the man's eyes.

"Brother, can they be trusted?"

Weng Yan glanced at Li Buping and finally chose to trust him.

"I'll go with you later!"

The matter was settled, and Li Buping went back to find Jia Lian.

After telling Jia Lian about the situation, Jia Lian did not waste time and sent someone directly to find Jia Yu based on what Shi Nai said.

Jia Lian really didn't expect that his cousin, who always portrayed himself as a villain, actually didn't participate in anything truly fatal.

This is not the most amazing thing. The most amazing thing is that none of the Four Great Masters of Jinling participated.

Instead, the Rong and Ning state governments, which were far behind, participated in it in a confused manner.

This is a joke.

Jia Yu arrived and soon the White Lotus Sect's lair was raided.

The raided White Lotus lair contained not only many crutches, but also several monks with sores on their heads and lame men dressed as Taoists.

Jia Lian was confused. This was indeed a joint case.

In addition to these people, there are others that Jia Lian has not caught.

This is the woman that Li Buping mentioned.

This matter will not be over until that person is caught.

On the other hand, Shi Nai was still struggling in Yingtian Prefecture. The reason why he was exposed so early was that he wanted to delay the Jinling prefect from doing things.

The purpose of this is also very simple.

It is just to paralyze the prefect of Jinling.

As long as he is under control, Jia Lian can find the White Lotus Sect's lair and easily capture them all in one fell swoop.

Why haven’t I found it yet?

Shi Nai was anxious in his heart, Jia Lian finally arrived late.

"uncle!"

Jia Lian is here.

The prefect of Jinling on the side was still being stubborn.

"My Lord, this is at most a case of not investigating. I have tried my best."

"I have paid so much but received no reward. I have also submitted petitions to the court many times, requesting that the position of Yingtian Prefecture be increased."

"The court has been unwilling to do so, and I have no choice but to do so!"

Shi Nai watched him perform coldly.

Will increasing the location of Yingtian Prefecture make it easier for you to buy and sell official positions, form cliques for personal gain, and cultivate cronies?

Shi Nai sneered in his heart.

"Someone, arrest this official for me!"

Now that the time had come, there was no need for Shi Nai to pretend anymore.

When he saw the Jinling prefect surrounding him, he visibly began to panic.

"I have done nothing wrong. Why are you arresting me?"

It's because you have been exploiting the people and doing nothing for so many years.

It's because you have failed to live up to the emperor's grace.

"Confess now. His Majesty has known about what happened in Jinling for a long time and has been waiting for you to be caught!" (End of this chapter)